Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 31: May 16, 2005

[fuzzybroken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Akofyholic

Even though I am a big UP fan.. & the fact that I cant stand golf at all... I HAD to go with your shot Erik... as the others stated.. the greens of the grass & the Loco's... the patterns etc.. all of it together added up to a very pleasing shot.. not to take away from Mike's mind you.. most any other time I'd of went with his.. but not this time..

What can I say, you guys make it tough every time, but I went with Erik's pic this time. The composition of the shot with the golf course patterns was awesome, definitely something you don't see every day! Great job, both you guys, once again and always...

-Mark
http://www.geocities.com/fuzzybroken
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com

[Anonymous]

I HAD to vote for Erik's photo. It came down to 'geometry' , so to speak. First off the colors on the golf course couldn't match the BN units paint any better. A very complimentary shot. But the clincher is the patterns cut in the fairway grass which just happen to accentuate the stripes on the nose of the BN units. No contest for choosing this week.

[fievel]

Tiger Stripes galore ! The vibrant Spring green colors just reached out and
grabbed me. Great shot, Eric ![:p][^]

[Anonymous]

Too much green in that Erik's BN shot. Loved the way the lines in the landscape lead you to the locomotives....but too much green. So, I went with Mike's shot. I like that tough into the sunset shot. It takes practice to bring out the details on a locomotive when shooting into the sun. I like the fact that I can see details in Mikes shot such as a low joint, the different numeral styles on the number boards and the exhaust heat billowing into the sky. Mike's picture had these. Great picture Mike! Just because it has a UP engine in it doesn't eliminate it for me.

[Anonymous]

Verrrry close choice. Eric with the green on green edges to a win with a little compositional drama.

[Anonymous]

Both good shots/! Pattern on the field, pattern on the front of the engine wow..Great composition, too bad the field pattern was not reversed.....

[Anonymous]

I voted for Mike's photo, but even now I am still not completely sure if that was the right choice. Mike's photo is pretty much perfect. The train is just at the right angle and everything just seems to fit together wonderfully. Normally, I'd go for this one right away. Erik's photo, however, is something to be marvelled at! I love BN and that is just such an incredible picture. Finding a railroad that runs through a gold course is hard enough, but to get a picture with green BN units on it is nothing short of stupendous. Erik's photo is definetly the more unique and memorable of the two, but as far as a basic "picture showing a train" is concerned, I think Mike's is better (probably, I think, perhaps not, perhaps yes...oh, decisions, decisions!).

[Anonymous]

Love Erik's because it seems like the train was in the right place at the right time!

[lhtalbot]

This one was easy. Erik's shot is a good photograph. If all you ever want is to see train hardware, then the close to the engine shots will always be great. But it looks like you two are both wanting to experiment a little with some scenics, where the train is used to complement a nice scene. If Mike had put his dandelion shot up as the contest photo, I would have had a much harder time choosing. Someone who only wants to see trains looks at that tree as a problem. I see it as good framing & adding to the overall picture. I personally would like to see more of these types of pictures.
Keep up the good work, I enjoy your articles.
Larry
Wauwatosa, WI

[espeefoamer]

I went with Mikes photo this time [:)].I especially liked how he got the milepost in the shot just ahead of the pilot of the first unit.I liked seeing the standard cab unit on the point of a manifest train.I also enjoyed seeing the entire train.
Erik's shot was too much green on green.I thought the pathway in the forground was distracting,leading the eye away from the train,toward the rightedgeof the picture. also the corner of the sand trap on the right side I found distracting.

[Anonymous]

I also like the many shades of green in Erik's shot, but this competition isn't about Spring (as wonderful a season as it is), its about trains. Erik's got one and a half locomotives. Mike's got two locomotives and about 40 cars.

So, even though I like the greens in Erik's shot, I voted for Mike's.

I also want to agree with another poster's comment: If Mike had put his CN photo with the dandelions and trees into the competition I would have voted for it. I think it is a beautiful shot.

[Anonymous]

I too went with Eric's photo. His showed the train in better light and in the middle of a golf course. Mike's might have won if the lighting had of been better.

[zardoz]

While I can appreciate the difficulty of getting a decent photo on the Adams Sub, the uniqueness of the train/golf course and all the shades of green was fantastic.

[Anonymous]

well done Mike, you captured what trains are all about.

[jimitimi]

Erik Love the mowing patterns as I work weekends at the local golf course and like well grromed grass.